Self-photography booths have been used for years. The traditional booths included a camera that was actuated once the user inserted the correct amount of money. A timer mechanism was employed to take a number of flash pictures of the occupant or occupants of the booth.
With the advent of computer and video technology, the booths have been modernized. Video cameras allow a live image of the user to be taken. Video processing of the image then allows a photograph to be generated from that live image. Further, computer technology has allowed these devices to store in memory one or more background images which can be displayed together with the live video image on the booth monitor so that the printed image is a composite of the stored and user images.
All of these devices, however, require that the user insert a predetermined amount of money in order to actuate the device and then create the composite image print. With the digital video devices, the cost is relatively substantial, often in the $3.00 to $5.00 range for a single print. The user thus must decide to spend this sum of money before he or she can view the composite image. Accordingly, income is lost from potential user's who do not desire to spend $3.00 to $5.00 just to see whether or not there is an acceptable composite image that they would like to print.